Post by Dietmar on Jun 12, 2020 18:19:17 GMT -5
This is an excellent text written by Louis Garcia of Tokio, N.D. on Chief Matocatka. Thanks to you for sharing, Louie!:
A Message from Garcia
The History and Culture of the Spirit Lake Dakota
By Louis Garcia © 1/21/08
Message 48 Left Bear
Chief Matocatka (Left Handed Bear) was born in 1828 a member of the Hiŋtahaŋkpaŋ (Basswood Fiber Moccasin String) band of Waĥpetuŋ Dakota. This Tiyoŝpaye or Band received their name when a man [possibly Wio’kiya I] married a Tizaptaŋna woman. During a journey to visit his people, the wife lost her moccasin string [implying sexual intercourse] and replaced it with a cord made of Basswood fiber. Later this man formed his own band and others called them by a name commemorating the lost moccasin thong {Garcia Papers). The Waĥpetuŋ leaned toward the woodland culture wearing soft soled puckered moccasins and using more floral designs in their decorations.
The majority of the band is said to have perished in a blizzard while hunting buffalo in Dakota Territory somewhere near present day Fargo, North Dakota. Their leader at this time was Chief Wio’kiya I (Court A Woman) who signed the Traverse des Sioux treaty in 1851. Wio’kiya I was a relative of Left Bear, possibly an uncle; another relative was the Sisituŋ chief Waanatan (Charger) who Leftbear addressed as cousin. (John Leftbear) Leftbear’s wife Maĥpiyatokahewiŋ (Leader in Heaven Woman) was a sister of Tuŋkaŋġiiçiya (Holy Stone who Makes Himself Brown). They in turn were children of the famous Chief Standing Buffalo (Sister Hilger).
Leftbear’s most famous exploit was to save some of the band, as a few already froze to death and others were starving. Someone spotted seven buffalo blinded by the blizzard wandering straight for the camp. Leftbear mounted one of the few horses left in the starving camp. He put six arrows in his mouth and one in his bow. He inched his horse closer and closer to each snow blinded buffalo, with much difficulty as the storm was in full force, placed his right foot on the back of each buffalo and shot an arrow behind the shoulder blade into the hearts of five buffalo, killing them instantly before they sensed the danger. He returned to the snow bound camp and reported the location of his kill. He fell from his horse completely frozen and was immediately buried in a mound of snow. The people found the dead buffalo and brought back the internal organs to satisfy their immediate hunger. Leftbear woke up and extradited himself from the mound of snow to a hero’s welcome, as they thought him dead. This very bow that he used is reported to be among the collections of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. To the amusement of all, only Leftbear could pull the bow string back; although many men took the challenge to try their strength (John Leftbear).
The band became farmers to supplement their diet due to the declining buffalo herds.
Their main residence was at a lake called Hiŋtahaŋkpaŋ Woju (Where the Moccasin String Band Plants [their gardens]) now called Woodlake in Minnesota, where the famous battle took place in 1862 (Anderson and Woolworth 1988:235; Durand1994: 23 -24).
In 1857 the infamous Inkpaduta (Scarlet Point) took revenge upon the residents of Spirit Lake [Iowa] killing a number of white people, and took four women captive. This was for being set upon by local whites for being on land ceded in the Treaties of 1851. By 1857 Inkpaduta was still on the loose, which embarrassed the Government to a point of withholding the 1851 treaty money until the Dakota would punish him. Leftbear is reported to be part of this expedition (Diedrich 2007:32; 1999:94).
Wandering on both sides of the Canadian – United States border from the White Earth to the Pembina Rivers, Leftbear refused to surrender in 1864 (Diedrich 2007:53).
Sometime in pre-reservation time Leftbear was involved in a peace making council with the Ojibway. In an elaborate ceremony with feasting, pipe smoking, and dancing, peace was established (John Leftbear). This peace council maybe the conference fostered by Father Genin in 1870 at Fort Abercrombie.
After much wandering the band under chief Leftbear surrendered at Fort Totten in the winter of 1868 living in fourteen lodges (Diedrich 2007:62). Agent McLaughlin designated him fourth Waĥpetuŋ chief in 1877, with a population of eighty band members (McLaughlin Papers Roll 19).In the 1970’s the band was still recognized having the family names of Leftbear, Blueshield, Ironhawk, Greywind, Dunn, Demarce, Court, Crow, and Thompson (Howard 1984:20; Garcia Papers).
The people wanted a school so in the dept of winter in 1871 Leftbear, Icaŋnajiŋka (Standing Steady), Tiyowaŝte (Goodhouse) and Waŝicuŋcatka (Lefthanded Spirit) went to St. Paul to ask for a school from Bishop Grace. When danger was near during their journey, Leftbear turned himself into a Grey Wolf, and Goodhouse a rabbit. Leftbear’s great grand nephew Dean Young was given the name Śunktokocaĥota (Grey Wolf) for this event (John Leftbear). The fruit of their effort was the establishment of the St. Michael School of the Little Flower staffed by nuns from St. Boniface, Manitoba (Brisebois 1974; Bishops Archives).
The Moccasin String band lived near a hill named for the band, Hinta Tipi Paha (Bass [tree] Hill) Leftbear took his 160 acre allotment in the southeast quarter of section ten Woodlake Township located by Tokio, ND.. He donated five acres of his land to the Woodlake Presbyterian Church to be used as a cemetery although he was a Catholic taking the name of Peter Leftbear. The cemetery is still in use.
In 1872 he traveled to Lake Traverse where he helped negotiate and sign the agreement to sell all the land owned by the Sisseton – Wahpeton Tribes. The next year he traveled to St. Paul, Minnesota to sign the agreement amended by congress.
In 1901 he again helped to negotiate the 1904 Agreement which was an extension of Section Eight of the 1873 Agreement. The Spirit Lake Reservation was opened for white settlement by this Agreement in 1904. In 1901 Chief Leftbear made the following statement:
I was able to work once, but am not able now. I am 81 (?) years of age,
and take myself for a ghost nowadays. I will soon lie down, for I am
loosing heart. Before twenty years I will be where my fathers are. I don’t
want my children to throw the land away upon which I lived so long.
I want to die here (Diedrich 2007:135)
Chief Leftbear died at age 77 during the Fourth of July celebration at Haslams pasture on July 3, 1905. The camping circle was a mile in diameter and his body was placed in a wagon bed and paraded around the camping circle. He is buried in the St. Michael Cemetery near Chief Waanatan II (John Leftbear).
Leftbear’s sons Joseph and Thomas were leaders in the Pezitanka (Big Grass), Grass Dance Society at Woodlake near Tokio, North Dakota.
Circa 1947- 48 Michael Jackson (Śungtokcaoye Waŋyakapi = They See the Wolf Track) the head singer of the Hay Boys Grass Dance Club wanted to use the tune of Chief Leftbear’s honor song for the Spirit Lake tribal Flag Song. He held a feast, at which time he asked Leftbear family’s permission, which was granted (John Leftbear, Ephraim Hill).
In May 1973, almost one hundred years from the date of the 1872 / 1873 Agreement, Mrs. Gabriel (Evelyn) Young became Chairwoman of the Spirit Lake Tribe. She was the daughter of Simon, son of Joseph, son of Chief Leftbear.
Bibliography
Bishops Archives Bishops House, Fargo, North Dakota
Brisebois, Blanche S.G.M. St. Michael’s Indian Mission 1874 – 1974
Marvin, SD: Blue Cloud Mission Press 1974.
Diedrich, Mark Mniwakan Oyate (Spirit Lake Nation):
A History of the Sisitunwan, Wahpetun, Pabaksa,
and Other Dakota That Settled at Spirit Lake, ND
Ft. Totten: Cankdeska Cikana Community College
2007.
Famous Dakota Chiefs: Volume I
Rochester, MN: Coyote Books 1999.
Durand, Paul C. Where the Waters Gather and the Rivers Meet:
An atlas of the Eastern Sioux.
Prior Lake, MN Privately Published, 1994.
Garcia, Louis Papers # 789 Chester Fritz Library
University of North Dakota, Grandforks.
Hilger, Mary Ione, O.S.B. The First Sioux Nun: Sister Marie-Josephine Nebraska,
S.M.G. 1859 – 1894.
Milwaukee, WI: The Bruce Publishing Company 1963
Sister Hilger’s Notes.
Assumption Priory, Bismarck, ND.
Hill, Ephraim Interviews with a Hay Boy singer who was present
when the tune of Leftbear’s honor song was composed
into the Flag Song.
Howard, James H. The Canadian Sioux
Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press 1984
Leftbear, John Interviews with Chief Leftbear’s grandson, 1973.
Glossary
Flag Song Circa 1945 at the conclusion of World War Two the various tribes composed their own National Anthem
of the United States. These Flag Songs are used in place of the Star Spangled Banner to open tribal functions. These Flag Songs are sung by the singers using a drum and Indian words.
Fort Abercrombie United States Military post established in 1857. The fort’s claim to fame is the siege in 1862 by the Dakota and the Dakota - Ojibway peace treaty signed in 1870. The fort was closed in ---------.The fort today is a State Historic site located at Abercrombie, Richland County, North Dakota.
Hiŋtahankpaŋ Woju Hiŋta [can] = Basswood; Hankpaŋ = Moccasin tie thong;
Woju = to plant, Where the Basswood Moccasin String
Band Plant Their Gardens. Under the bark of this tree (Tilia Americana Linnaeus) is a fibrous material used for cordage. The bast or under bark was used for a moccasin tie thong. This place is now called Wood Lake, Yellow Medicine County, MN.
Hiŋta Tipi Paha Hiŋta = contraction of Basswood Moccasin String Band;
Tipi = dwelling; Paha = Hill. Located in Section 24, Woodlake Township, Benson County, North Dakota.
Chief Leftbear’s Band settled by this hill, dwelling in eight log houses. Near by Mallard Lake is also named for the Band, Hiŋta Bde or Bass [Moccasin String] Lake
Inkpaduta Famous Waĥpekute chief, most noted for the massacre at
Spirit Lake, IA in 1857. For a compete biography see Diedrich 1999: 78 – 108).
Little Flower Catholic grade school established in 1874 by the Grey
Nuns of St. Boniface, Manitoba. Located at St. Michael,
Benson County, North Dakota. The school closed in 1980.
Tiyoŝpaye Ti = house; Yo = in or for; Śpaye = a separate piece ) meaning a group separate from the main tribe; a band of
people.
Tizaptaŋna Ti = house, lodge; Zaptaŋ = five; na = familiarity [known to all]. The Five Lodge Band of Sisituŋwaŋ. Known to historians as part of the Southern Sissetons.
Waĥpetuŋwaŋ Waĥpe = leaf; Tuŋwaŋ = town, village. Village among the leaves, or Leaf Village. One of the seven original tribes which make up the Eastern Dakota or Seven Council Fires
(Oceti Sakowin [Oceti = Fireplace; Sakowin = seven].
Appendices
Chief Leftbear
His Father: Wio’kiya (Court a Woman) AKA Homaŝi (?)
His Mother Wakaŋkaŋna (Old Woman)
His Brothers: Oġuota (Many Things Burning), died 12/6, 1898 at age 77, SWS#1190.
Wife: Tatehiyayewin or Tasinatokahewin, died 7/9/1898, age 64
SWS# 335. Three children, two died without issue.
Third child James Tatota died 3/27/1901 age 29
Wife (1) unknown, One child Lucy (Scott) Barker.
Wife (2) Wakanpejutawin, one child Julia Scott.
Mazawakute (Shooting a Gun), died 9/7/1907, age 83 SWS # 736
Wife (1) Katatehewin died about 1857 – no issue
(2) Wakanyuhomniwin, died 1/10/1903, age 80
None of the six children lived past age 15.
Canceġaduta (Scarlet Drum) AKA Noah Kabuna died 5/6/1908 age 77.
Wife (1) Anpetuwastewin (date of death unknown)
One child Mary Goodbird or Winona.
Wife (2) Tapejinwastena AKA Josephine Renville.
Two boys Simon died 4/23/1893 age 3, and Solomon died
8/14/1896 age 12.
Wakaŋhdiptecena (Short Lighting), Simon Died 7/16/1910, age 81.
Wife: Mary Yuhuhuzewin (Date of death unknown)
One girl died before allotment at age 20.
He was the first Elder of the Bdecan Presbyterian
Church, Tokio, ND.
[Wioki’ya II is not listed in the probate, is he a nephew?].
Matocatka (Left Handed Bear) DLS # 616 1823 – July 3, 1905
Married Maĥpiyatokahewin (First in the Sky Woman) DLS # 909 1826 – 6/10/1910.
(AKA A Leader in Heaven)
Children:
1) Tuŋkaŋdutawiŋ (Scarlet Holy Stone Woman) died about 1867, age 30.
2) Baby boy died about 1842
3) Baby died about 1842
4) Tawamanuha (Her Gourd) died about 1894 age 54
5) Baby girl died about 1893
6) Tuŋkaŋwayagmani (Walking Seeing the Holy Stone) or Thomas Leftbear.
DLS # 617 1852 -1919.
Wife # 1 Tatewaŝtewiŋ (Good Wind) AKA Tapetawaŝtewiŋ (Her Good Fire).
Children: Maĥpiyaŝuŋka (Dog Cloud); Zitkamaza (Iron Bird)
Wife # 2 Tatiyopamazawiŋ (Her Iron Door Woman)
No children recorded.
Wife # 3 Kabuna (Makes Hitting Sound) DLS # 761, 1849 – 1925.
Children: Sophia Caŋkutopawiŋ (Four Roads Woman); died 6/31/1912.
7) Baby girl died about 1854
8) Oyewaŝtewiŋ (Good Track Woman), Bessie; Mrs. Eyanpahamani (Walking
-Announcing)
9) Śunkaiçisniyamni (?) or Sunkaitehanskiya died about 1882 age 1
10) Maĥpiyabu (Thunder Cloud) or Joseph Leftbear DLS # 618 1862 – 3/15/1922.
Wife # 1 Bessie Anpetuwaŝtewiŋ (Fine Day Woman)
DLS # 50 1879 – 11/14/1922. Mother: Hotaninnawin
(Visible Voice Woman)
Father: Śunkahowaŝte (Good Voiced Dog) DLS #49.
Married in 1894.
Children: Jane Mahpiyabu, DLS #1025 Died 1/3/16 age 14.
John, Simon, Martha, Jessie Mahpiyabu, and
Several small children who died before allotment.
Bessie married Cetankopapina (They fear the Hawk) or Joseph Jack who killed her in a murder suicide in November 13 or 14, 1922.
Wife # 2 Jane Tateyuhewiŋ (Owns the Wind Woman) Married 1883.
Children: Annie, Died 1894.
Emma DLS # 619, 1885 -1925 Mrs. Joe Wakaksan.
Moses DLS # 620, 1892 – 1896.
Lewis DLS # 621, 1890 – 1909.
11) Wakaŋhdiska (White Lighting) died 1872 age 4
Records obtained from Paul Brill and Ft. Totten Reality Office.
Censuses
July 5,6,7, 1876
#56 Matocatka 6 people in his family
July 16, 1877
Band # 6 Tizaptaŋna (Five Lodge)
#3 Matocatka 3 males and 1 female in family.
June 30, 1889
#560 Joseph Mahpiyabu, Father age 26;
#561 Jane Tateyuhewin, Wife age 21
#562 Clara, daughter age 2;
#563 Baby, age 6 months.
#589 Mantocatka, Husband age 71
#590 Mahpiyatokahewin, Wife age 55.
*****************************************
A Message from Garcia
The History and Culture of the Spirit Lake Dakota
By Louis Garcia © 1/21/08
Message 48 Left Bear
Chief Matocatka (Left Handed Bear) was born in 1828 a member of the Hiŋtahaŋkpaŋ (Basswood Fiber Moccasin String) band of Waĥpetuŋ Dakota. This Tiyoŝpaye or Band received their name when a man [possibly Wio’kiya I] married a Tizaptaŋna woman. During a journey to visit his people, the wife lost her moccasin string [implying sexual intercourse] and replaced it with a cord made of Basswood fiber. Later this man formed his own band and others called them by a name commemorating the lost moccasin thong {Garcia Papers). The Waĥpetuŋ leaned toward the woodland culture wearing soft soled puckered moccasins and using more floral designs in their decorations.
The majority of the band is said to have perished in a blizzard while hunting buffalo in Dakota Territory somewhere near present day Fargo, North Dakota. Their leader at this time was Chief Wio’kiya I (Court A Woman) who signed the Traverse des Sioux treaty in 1851. Wio’kiya I was a relative of Left Bear, possibly an uncle; another relative was the Sisituŋ chief Waanatan (Charger) who Leftbear addressed as cousin. (John Leftbear) Leftbear’s wife Maĥpiyatokahewiŋ (Leader in Heaven Woman) was a sister of Tuŋkaŋġiiçiya (Holy Stone who Makes Himself Brown). They in turn were children of the famous Chief Standing Buffalo (Sister Hilger).
Leftbear’s most famous exploit was to save some of the band, as a few already froze to death and others were starving. Someone spotted seven buffalo blinded by the blizzard wandering straight for the camp. Leftbear mounted one of the few horses left in the starving camp. He put six arrows in his mouth and one in his bow. He inched his horse closer and closer to each snow blinded buffalo, with much difficulty as the storm was in full force, placed his right foot on the back of each buffalo and shot an arrow behind the shoulder blade into the hearts of five buffalo, killing them instantly before they sensed the danger. He returned to the snow bound camp and reported the location of his kill. He fell from his horse completely frozen and was immediately buried in a mound of snow. The people found the dead buffalo and brought back the internal organs to satisfy their immediate hunger. Leftbear woke up and extradited himself from the mound of snow to a hero’s welcome, as they thought him dead. This very bow that he used is reported to be among the collections of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. To the amusement of all, only Leftbear could pull the bow string back; although many men took the challenge to try their strength (John Leftbear).
The band became farmers to supplement their diet due to the declining buffalo herds.
Their main residence was at a lake called Hiŋtahaŋkpaŋ Woju (Where the Moccasin String Band Plants [their gardens]) now called Woodlake in Minnesota, where the famous battle took place in 1862 (Anderson and Woolworth 1988:235; Durand1994: 23 -24).
In 1857 the infamous Inkpaduta (Scarlet Point) took revenge upon the residents of Spirit Lake [Iowa] killing a number of white people, and took four women captive. This was for being set upon by local whites for being on land ceded in the Treaties of 1851. By 1857 Inkpaduta was still on the loose, which embarrassed the Government to a point of withholding the 1851 treaty money until the Dakota would punish him. Leftbear is reported to be part of this expedition (Diedrich 2007:32; 1999:94).
Wandering on both sides of the Canadian – United States border from the White Earth to the Pembina Rivers, Leftbear refused to surrender in 1864 (Diedrich 2007:53).
Sometime in pre-reservation time Leftbear was involved in a peace making council with the Ojibway. In an elaborate ceremony with feasting, pipe smoking, and dancing, peace was established (John Leftbear). This peace council maybe the conference fostered by Father Genin in 1870 at Fort Abercrombie.
After much wandering the band under chief Leftbear surrendered at Fort Totten in the winter of 1868 living in fourteen lodges (Diedrich 2007:62). Agent McLaughlin designated him fourth Waĥpetuŋ chief in 1877, with a population of eighty band members (McLaughlin Papers Roll 19).In the 1970’s the band was still recognized having the family names of Leftbear, Blueshield, Ironhawk, Greywind, Dunn, Demarce, Court, Crow, and Thompson (Howard 1984:20; Garcia Papers).
The people wanted a school so in the dept of winter in 1871 Leftbear, Icaŋnajiŋka (Standing Steady), Tiyowaŝte (Goodhouse) and Waŝicuŋcatka (Lefthanded Spirit) went to St. Paul to ask for a school from Bishop Grace. When danger was near during their journey, Leftbear turned himself into a Grey Wolf, and Goodhouse a rabbit. Leftbear’s great grand nephew Dean Young was given the name Śunktokocaĥota (Grey Wolf) for this event (John Leftbear). The fruit of their effort was the establishment of the St. Michael School of the Little Flower staffed by nuns from St. Boniface, Manitoba (Brisebois 1974; Bishops Archives).
The Moccasin String band lived near a hill named for the band, Hinta Tipi Paha (Bass [tree] Hill) Leftbear took his 160 acre allotment in the southeast quarter of section ten Woodlake Township located by Tokio, ND.. He donated five acres of his land to the Woodlake Presbyterian Church to be used as a cemetery although he was a Catholic taking the name of Peter Leftbear. The cemetery is still in use.
In 1872 he traveled to Lake Traverse where he helped negotiate and sign the agreement to sell all the land owned by the Sisseton – Wahpeton Tribes. The next year he traveled to St. Paul, Minnesota to sign the agreement amended by congress.
In 1901 he again helped to negotiate the 1904 Agreement which was an extension of Section Eight of the 1873 Agreement. The Spirit Lake Reservation was opened for white settlement by this Agreement in 1904. In 1901 Chief Leftbear made the following statement:
I was able to work once, but am not able now. I am 81 (?) years of age,
and take myself for a ghost nowadays. I will soon lie down, for I am
loosing heart. Before twenty years I will be where my fathers are. I don’t
want my children to throw the land away upon which I lived so long.
I want to die here (Diedrich 2007:135)
Chief Leftbear died at age 77 during the Fourth of July celebration at Haslams pasture on July 3, 1905. The camping circle was a mile in diameter and his body was placed in a wagon bed and paraded around the camping circle. He is buried in the St. Michael Cemetery near Chief Waanatan II (John Leftbear).
Leftbear’s sons Joseph and Thomas were leaders in the Pezitanka (Big Grass), Grass Dance Society at Woodlake near Tokio, North Dakota.
Circa 1947- 48 Michael Jackson (Śungtokcaoye Waŋyakapi = They See the Wolf Track) the head singer of the Hay Boys Grass Dance Club wanted to use the tune of Chief Leftbear’s honor song for the Spirit Lake tribal Flag Song. He held a feast, at which time he asked Leftbear family’s permission, which was granted (John Leftbear, Ephraim Hill).
In May 1973, almost one hundred years from the date of the 1872 / 1873 Agreement, Mrs. Gabriel (Evelyn) Young became Chairwoman of the Spirit Lake Tribe. She was the daughter of Simon, son of Joseph, son of Chief Leftbear.
Bibliography
Bishops Archives Bishops House, Fargo, North Dakota
Brisebois, Blanche S.G.M. St. Michael’s Indian Mission 1874 – 1974
Marvin, SD: Blue Cloud Mission Press 1974.
Diedrich, Mark Mniwakan Oyate (Spirit Lake Nation):
A History of the Sisitunwan, Wahpetun, Pabaksa,
and Other Dakota That Settled at Spirit Lake, ND
Ft. Totten: Cankdeska Cikana Community College
2007.
Famous Dakota Chiefs: Volume I
Rochester, MN: Coyote Books 1999.
Durand, Paul C. Where the Waters Gather and the Rivers Meet:
An atlas of the Eastern Sioux.
Prior Lake, MN Privately Published, 1994.
Garcia, Louis Papers # 789 Chester Fritz Library
University of North Dakota, Grandforks.
Hilger, Mary Ione, O.S.B. The First Sioux Nun: Sister Marie-Josephine Nebraska,
S.M.G. 1859 – 1894.
Milwaukee, WI: The Bruce Publishing Company 1963
Sister Hilger’s Notes.
Assumption Priory, Bismarck, ND.
Hill, Ephraim Interviews with a Hay Boy singer who was present
when the tune of Leftbear’s honor song was composed
into the Flag Song.
Howard, James H. The Canadian Sioux
Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press 1984
Leftbear, John Interviews with Chief Leftbear’s grandson, 1973.
Glossary
Flag Song Circa 1945 at the conclusion of World War Two the various tribes composed their own National Anthem
of the United States. These Flag Songs are used in place of the Star Spangled Banner to open tribal functions. These Flag Songs are sung by the singers using a drum and Indian words.
Fort Abercrombie United States Military post established in 1857. The fort’s claim to fame is the siege in 1862 by the Dakota and the Dakota - Ojibway peace treaty signed in 1870. The fort was closed in ---------.The fort today is a State Historic site located at Abercrombie, Richland County, North Dakota.
Hiŋtahankpaŋ Woju Hiŋta [can] = Basswood; Hankpaŋ = Moccasin tie thong;
Woju = to plant, Where the Basswood Moccasin String
Band Plant Their Gardens. Under the bark of this tree (Tilia Americana Linnaeus) is a fibrous material used for cordage. The bast or under bark was used for a moccasin tie thong. This place is now called Wood Lake, Yellow Medicine County, MN.
Hiŋta Tipi Paha Hiŋta = contraction of Basswood Moccasin String Band;
Tipi = dwelling; Paha = Hill. Located in Section 24, Woodlake Township, Benson County, North Dakota.
Chief Leftbear’s Band settled by this hill, dwelling in eight log houses. Near by Mallard Lake is also named for the Band, Hiŋta Bde or Bass [Moccasin String] Lake
Inkpaduta Famous Waĥpekute chief, most noted for the massacre at
Spirit Lake, IA in 1857. For a compete biography see Diedrich 1999: 78 – 108).
Little Flower Catholic grade school established in 1874 by the Grey
Nuns of St. Boniface, Manitoba. Located at St. Michael,
Benson County, North Dakota. The school closed in 1980.
Tiyoŝpaye Ti = house; Yo = in or for; Śpaye = a separate piece ) meaning a group separate from the main tribe; a band of
people.
Tizaptaŋna Ti = house, lodge; Zaptaŋ = five; na = familiarity [known to all]. The Five Lodge Band of Sisituŋwaŋ. Known to historians as part of the Southern Sissetons.
Waĥpetuŋwaŋ Waĥpe = leaf; Tuŋwaŋ = town, village. Village among the leaves, or Leaf Village. One of the seven original tribes which make up the Eastern Dakota or Seven Council Fires
(Oceti Sakowin [Oceti = Fireplace; Sakowin = seven].
Appendices
Chief Leftbear
His Father: Wio’kiya (Court a Woman) AKA Homaŝi (?)
His Mother Wakaŋkaŋna (Old Woman)
His Brothers: Oġuota (Many Things Burning), died 12/6, 1898 at age 77, SWS#1190.
Wife: Tatehiyayewin or Tasinatokahewin, died 7/9/1898, age 64
SWS# 335. Three children, two died without issue.
Third child James Tatota died 3/27/1901 age 29
Wife (1) unknown, One child Lucy (Scott) Barker.
Wife (2) Wakanpejutawin, one child Julia Scott.
Mazawakute (Shooting a Gun), died 9/7/1907, age 83 SWS # 736
Wife (1) Katatehewin died about 1857 – no issue
(2) Wakanyuhomniwin, died 1/10/1903, age 80
None of the six children lived past age 15.
Canceġaduta (Scarlet Drum) AKA Noah Kabuna died 5/6/1908 age 77.
Wife (1) Anpetuwastewin (date of death unknown)
One child Mary Goodbird or Winona.
Wife (2) Tapejinwastena AKA Josephine Renville.
Two boys Simon died 4/23/1893 age 3, and Solomon died
8/14/1896 age 12.
Wakaŋhdiptecena (Short Lighting), Simon Died 7/16/1910, age 81.
Wife: Mary Yuhuhuzewin (Date of death unknown)
One girl died before allotment at age 20.
He was the first Elder of the Bdecan Presbyterian
Church, Tokio, ND.
[Wioki’ya II is not listed in the probate, is he a nephew?].
Matocatka (Left Handed Bear) DLS # 616 1823 – July 3, 1905
Married Maĥpiyatokahewin (First in the Sky Woman) DLS # 909 1826 – 6/10/1910.
(AKA A Leader in Heaven)
Children:
1) Tuŋkaŋdutawiŋ (Scarlet Holy Stone Woman) died about 1867, age 30.
2) Baby boy died about 1842
3) Baby died about 1842
4) Tawamanuha (Her Gourd) died about 1894 age 54
5) Baby girl died about 1893
6) Tuŋkaŋwayagmani (Walking Seeing the Holy Stone) or Thomas Leftbear.
DLS # 617 1852 -1919.
Wife # 1 Tatewaŝtewiŋ (Good Wind) AKA Tapetawaŝtewiŋ (Her Good Fire).
Children: Maĥpiyaŝuŋka (Dog Cloud); Zitkamaza (Iron Bird)
Wife # 2 Tatiyopamazawiŋ (Her Iron Door Woman)
No children recorded.
Wife # 3 Kabuna (Makes Hitting Sound) DLS # 761, 1849 – 1925.
Children: Sophia Caŋkutopawiŋ (Four Roads Woman); died 6/31/1912.
7) Baby girl died about 1854
8) Oyewaŝtewiŋ (Good Track Woman), Bessie; Mrs. Eyanpahamani (Walking
-Announcing)
9) Śunkaiçisniyamni (?) or Sunkaitehanskiya died about 1882 age 1
10) Maĥpiyabu (Thunder Cloud) or Joseph Leftbear DLS # 618 1862 – 3/15/1922.
Wife # 1 Bessie Anpetuwaŝtewiŋ (Fine Day Woman)
DLS # 50 1879 – 11/14/1922. Mother: Hotaninnawin
(Visible Voice Woman)
Father: Śunkahowaŝte (Good Voiced Dog) DLS #49.
Married in 1894.
Children: Jane Mahpiyabu, DLS #1025 Died 1/3/16 age 14.
John, Simon, Martha, Jessie Mahpiyabu, and
Several small children who died before allotment.
Bessie married Cetankopapina (They fear the Hawk) or Joseph Jack who killed her in a murder suicide in November 13 or 14, 1922.
Wife # 2 Jane Tateyuhewiŋ (Owns the Wind Woman) Married 1883.
Children: Annie, Died 1894.
Emma DLS # 619, 1885 -1925 Mrs. Joe Wakaksan.
Moses DLS # 620, 1892 – 1896.
Lewis DLS # 621, 1890 – 1909.
11) Wakaŋhdiska (White Lighting) died 1872 age 4
Records obtained from Paul Brill and Ft. Totten Reality Office.
Censuses
July 5,6,7, 1876
#56 Matocatka 6 people in his family
July 16, 1877
Band # 6 Tizaptaŋna (Five Lodge)
#3 Matocatka 3 males and 1 female in family.
June 30, 1889
#560 Joseph Mahpiyabu, Father age 26;
#561 Jane Tateyuhewin, Wife age 21
#562 Clara, daughter age 2;
#563 Baby, age 6 months.
#589 Mantocatka, Husband age 71
#590 Mahpiyatokahewin, Wife age 55.
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